A Werewolf in Ninjago
by Black Shard
Summary: Ninjago still holds many dark secrets and when one of them gets out, it's up to the ninjas to stop it. That alone would've been enough if not for them having to face off with one of their own...
1. Primal

**A Werewolf in Ninjago**

 **It's that time of year again! Instead of a generic Halloween special, I'm making a short story this year but with werewolves so it's still in the spirit of Halloween! This is an AU set between the time travel episode and when the Stone Warriors come along so expect some big differences. As always, the disclaimer: Lego owns Ninjago, not me. Quelle surprise. Now on to this year's Halloween story!**

* * *

Prologue: Primal

Ninjago still had its secrets that even the ninjas haven't discovered yet. The Serpentine were far from the only threat to the world the First Spinjitzu Master created eons ago. The evil creatures that are now sealed in the underworld left behind their dark arts and some have surrendered to their evil desires and sought out these hexing rituals for their own gain, especially one man…

Wu and Garmadon, who had yet to succumb to the venom flowing in his veins, came across the bloodthirsty man who was filled with an obsession with bringing humanity into a primal state.

His name was Beowulf.

By the time the brothers encountered him, he had already mastered the dark arts and used it to change his form. Before their very eyes, his human body mutated into that of a hideous hulking beast who thought of nothing but sating his bloodlust.

A werewolf.

The young men and the monster clashed for what felt like an eternity before the former were able to defeat him. Garmadon, under the influence of the venom, vied to end his life right there but Wu, the more softhearted of the two, didn't want to take a life so swiftly. Eventually, both brothers settled on banishing Beowulf to the barren Forgotten Lands and placed a seal on him. If he ever attempts to leave his prison, the seal will activate and destroy his body and soul.

Ever since then, Ninjago had never heard from Beowulf again…

But looking back now, Wu wished he had listened to his brother…

* * *

 **Okay! Backstory's done! Now it's time to get to the actual story if Lady Luck will be on my side & my laptop doesn't do anything funny. Also, the end chapter notes will have some optional headcanons & confessions concerning the canon in the show if you're interested. For now, please review & I hope you're looking forward to this story as I am writing it!**


	2. Cursed

**A Werewolf in Ninjago**

 **Wow, guys. I'm astonished by the reviews for this story & that was just the prologue! I can't say thank you enough but enough about that! We're going to finally meet Beowulf & see some action so let's get this show on a roll!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Cursed

The ninjas thought they would be relieved when Garmadon would finally stop his conquest of Ninjago but ever since he went missing, an ominous feeling loomed over them like dark clouds of an approaching storm…

"Some still have their doubts but it's now widely believed that there are now werewolves that are terrifying Ninjago." The ninjas' eyes were glued to the projection of NTV News with Gale.

"There has been rumors going on regarding the Forgotten Land for years. No one believed such stories but now, doubts of these rumors being mere folk tales have risen since a small group of tourists went there and haven't returned, followed by a couple of investigation teams. After the disappearances, large beasts resembling humanoid wolves have been appearing and the most popular theory is that their increasing numbers is related to the disappearances."

"Could they be werewolves?" Cole pondered aloud.

"Nah. Everybody knows werewolves are not real." Kai dismissed the black ninja.

"Yet you _still_ believe that after saying the same thing about the Serpentine?" Jay retorted in a mocking tone.

"Whether or not those rumors are true, we must get to the bottom of this." Nay spoke up while breaking up her brother and boyfriend's quarrel at the same time.

Sensei Wu felt a chill go up his spine while listening to the reporter. He never would've thought it was possible but again, he was proven wrong…

'I never thought it would come to this…'

"Sensei, is there something about this you know?" Zane recognized his teacher's expression as one he always wore when he knew something not even the robot had any knowledge of.

"I was hoping he wouldn't show up again…" Wu whispered with trepidation.

"He…?" Lloyd raised a brow, frustrated by his uncle's habits of always keeping big secrets.

"I didn't think he would be alive to this day…" The old man continued.

"Who is this guy you're talking about? How is he involved in this?" Kai asked, impatient as ever.

"I can't hide it anymore. Students, the adversaries you've faced throughout your trials were not the only threat to Ninjago. There was another one I had to deal with."

"Does Dad also know about him?" Lloyd asked out of childish curiosity.

"Yes. He and I were still young when we encountered him."

"What was he like?" Nya's curiosity piqued just like the ninjas.

"He used the dark magic that is now lost to humans to turn into a werewolf. He wanted to bring humanity into an animalistic existence but there's no use clinging to the past. Garmadon and I were barely able to defeat him but we then had a disagreement over his punishment."

"What did Dad want to do with him?"

"He wanted to execute Beowulf right on the spot. But I disagreed with his ideals. Eventually, we sentenced him into exile in the Forgotten Lands and placed a seal on him. As long as he lives, he can never leave his prison and if he tries, the seal will activate and destroy him."

"But that was a long time ago. How could he still be alive!?" Jay can tell where Wu's story was going regarding recent events but he still didn't understand how anyone asides from the family of the First Spinjitzu Master can live for so long.

"I can only assume he knew more of the arcane arts than I've thought… If only I knew he would cause all this pandemonium… I regret not letting him die…" Wu shook his head, more ashamed of himself than anything else.

"But how can he still turn other people into werewolves if he can't leave the Forgotten Lands? What if it isn't him and there's something else lurking there?" Kai tried to make sense of all the new information but he was never a patient soul.

"There are some answers we have to seek ourselves rather than rely on outside sources alone, myself included." The sagely man responded with more vague answers, frustrating his pupil.

"Don't worry, Sensei. No matter what happens, we'll always protect Ninjago." Cole vowed.

Wu was proud of his students but that did little to alleviate his guilt.

"I will accompany you. If there's anyone Beowulf is after, it's me."

"But- "

"My decision is final. We will head for the Forgotten Lands once the sun sets."

The ninjas couldn't help but feel anxiety deep in their hearts but their sense of duty kept them from backing down. Garmadon may be gone now but that won't stop them from protecting the world from all threats, whether they be werewolves or all the statues in the museum coming to life and terrorize Ninjago (hopefully that will never happen).

Yet there was still that ominous feeling they can't deny was there…

* * *

The twilight looked eerily beautiful but the ninjas had no time to appreciate its beauty while on their way to deal with Beowulf. The five ninjas rode on the Ultra Dragon while Nya piloted the Samurai Mech with Wu alongside her on their long journey to the Forgotten Lands.

Just as the group expected, the Forgotten Lands was a barren and desolate realm not offering much in natural beauty. Even the trees and other plants that grew there had a twisted and ugly appearance that gave one a feeling that something dangerous lurked within and knowing what was happening recently, those feelings were now justified.

"Sensei, do you remember the exact point where Beowulf was sealed?" Zane asked once they landed on solid ground.

"There," Wu pointed at the nearby forest, "I remember last seeing Beowulf in those woods."

Out of nowhere, Nya audibly shuddered, getting Jay's attention.

"Is something wrong?" The blue ninja immediately grew concerned with his lover.

"I can't help but have this feeling… Like something very bad will happen to us…" Nya shivered.

"I don't blame you," Lloyd added, "We _are_ going to face an enemy we know nothing about…"

"But at least _I_ do…" Sensei Wu stepped up and led his students into the forest.

Yet again, an eerie silence hung over the ninjas like thunderclouds and they also can't shake off the feeling that someone was watching them, which they knew was true if Beowulf survived to this day…

"Come on out and fight!" Kai roared, knowing it'll only speed up the inevitable.

"Beowulf! I know you're responsible for all this!" Wu called out to his old enemy.

Deep growls echoed in the forest and the ninjas detected shadows moving about amongst the foliage and braced themselves…

"…Wu…" A gravelly guttural voice echoed not too far away, "…It's been so long I can't count the years we haven't seen each other until now…"

"They're here…!"

Zane spotted the eerie eyes of the monsters preying upon them before they crept out of their hiding places and encircled the ninjas.

Just as they expected, these new foes were werewolves. Unlike normal wolves, they stood on just their hind legs and had a hulking musculature beyond canine _and_ human capacity. Standing right in front of them was the largest werewolf. His bushy grey fur did little to hide his physique and the sight of his snarling fangs and bloodthirsty claws made the ninjas knew this was not an enemy to underestimate. The feature that stood out the most was his eyes with an eerie golden hue and gleaming with a feral wrath targeted at the one who imprisoned him.

"Beowulf…" Wu recognized the alpha wolf.

"The years haven't been kind to you," Beowulf jeered at his aged enemy's appearance, "This is exactly why humanity would've been in better hands under my rule."

"But how did you survive?"

"You should've known better than to assume I only knew the spell to make me what I am now."

"We didn't come here just for you! I want an explanation on why you're still alive and what you have done to these innocent souls!" Wu felt his temper rise but cut to the chase before he loses himself to wrath.

"Innocent!?" Beowulf cackled mockingly, "You still think my new allies are still innocent!? You haven't changed a single bit! What a pity!"

"I should've let my brother kill you…" Wu's fist shook but he kept his temper under control.

The ninjas and Beowulf were astonished by their teacher's sudden anger though it didn't stop the latter's continuous boasts.

"That red-eyed creep? I was also wondering what he's been up to…" The werewolf sneered.

"Enough backstory! How did you drag those other guys down with you!?" Jay ranted, pointing at the other werewolves surrounding him and his brethren.

"They were the ones who came to me. I simply found them and gave them the mark that made them into the magnificent creatures before you." Beowulf answered conceitedly.

"We won't let you get away with this! We'll put an end to your evil schemes!" Lloyd adopted a fighting stance to show he wasn't joking around.

"Hmmm… I _love_ it when my prey tries to resist… That makes it all the better when I add you all into my army…" Beowulf crouched down on all fours…

"ATTACK!" The alpha wolf commanded his forces with a battle cry.

The werewolves howled and ganged up on the humans.

"NINJA-GO!" The ninjas knew there would be a confrontation and were prepared for it.

The ninjas used their Spinjitzu to fend of the werewolves while Nya held her own with whatever weapons she had on hand. They didn't want to risk killing them if they really were humans who were corrupted by Beowulf and only used just enough power to weaken them.

But the downside was that the beasts make absolutely no effort to hold back.

Lloyd used his unique powers to form a golden force field around him and the ninjas that also blinded the werewolves. Unfortunately, his new powers were taxing on his new teenage body he was still getting used to and he couldn't use them as often. Luckily, he was still well-versed in hand-to-hand combat. Their claws and fangs still broke his flesh but the searing pain didn't stop the green ninja from holding his own against them.

One of the werewolves lunged at Kai and clamped his jaws on his arm. Despite the excruciating pain, the fire ninja tried to pry open its mouth, not caring that his fingers also got mauled. The wolf slobbered all over his hands let out a string of growls Kai was sure were curses spewed out by the creature. The hotheaded ninja quickly had enough and produced as much heat as he can in one hand and punched the beast in the face and scalding it. A few more piled themselves on top of him but he was able to throw them off and continued his fiery assault.

Nya took refuge in her Samurai Mech but that didn't stop the wolves from making attempts to demolish it. The female samurai had a very strong advantage in the mobile suit but making sure not to kill them if they truly were the missing humans, she only utilized just enough strength to send them flying. The monsters gnawed at the raw material but Nya had little concerns for her armor's physical condition as long as she kept fighting them off.

Jay zapped any wolf that tried to attack him while relying on his speed to evade their fangs and claws while Zane used whatever ice powers he had left to fend them off. Collaborating with his falcon companion, he scanned the premises for any wolves attempting a sneak attack so he and Jay could stop them before they can sink their teeth and claws into their skin.

Sensei Wu was also able to fight off the werewolves despite his old body.

Cole created small fissures to throw the wolves off balance but without the Scythe of Quakes at his disposal, he couldn't do much and without the same advantage of speed as Jay, he was left open and could make himself an easy target if he wasn't careful.

Zane caught sight of one of the werewolves approaching his leader from behind…

"Cole! Behind you!" The nindroid tried to warn his brother but it was too late.

Cole's bloodcurdling shriek echoed across the forest along with the sickening sound of human flesh being torn. The werewolf dug its claws deep into Cole's shoulders and dragged them down his back and drawing a large amount of blood. The earth ninja could feel his consciousness slip away and the last thing he saw before everything went dark were the ninjas' horrified faces.

"Lightning!" Jay didn't hesitate to hurl a mighty thunderbolt at the creature. Its body twitched as little volts of electricity ran all over his messed up fur while its assailant and Zane rushed to their fallen brother's side.

"Cole!" They wanted to get him out of the battlefield but the werewolves just won't let up.

The battle went on and the ninjas were becoming exhausted while the werewolves still fought just as much as they did in the beginning and were gradually gaining an advantage. The humans would've met an untimely fate if not for the beasts' sudden reluctance. They first noticed signs that night was fading into morning. What they saw of the night sky brightened by the soft light of the rising sun and they felt their powers wane…

"Retreat!" Beowulf commanded and his zealots obeyed and scurried back deep into the woods with their leader following suit but not before giving one last ominous message.

"I can smell it. One of you has been marked. It won't be long until you will all join me." Beowulf warned the ninjas before following his minions deep into the woods.

"Get back here!" Kai wanted to give chase but his sister stopped him.

"Kai! We have bigger things to worry about!" Nya pointed at Cole's bloody form.

The ninjas gathered around their fallen leader. Red rivers of blood poured from his wounds and soaked his back and his skin was already looking pale.

"Oh man! He's practically bleeding to death!" Jay scrunched up his face in disgust at the injury.

"His best chance is if we take him to the hospital! We have no time to lose!" Zane helped Lloyd pick up their fallen ally and help him onto the summoned Ultra Dragon.

* * *

The group flew as fast as they could back to city and seek out the hospital. All of them weren't exactly in their best condition and they too received treatment while Cole's back was examined and treated by the doctors. Once all their wounds have been dressed, the ninjas went to check on the earth ninja, who finally regained consciousness.

Cole laid on his stomach and some of the dressing on his back was stained with blood. It was a miracle he even managed to wake up in the first place.

"What… what happened…?" The earth wielder squinted his eyes until he was adjusted to all the white from the hospital walls and recognized the faces of the ninjas, Nya, and Wu.

"Cole… how are you feeling…?" Sensei Wu asked the black ninja.

"Other than my back hurting like hell, I think I can get through this…" Cole managed to mumble in between pained grunts in his attempt to sit up.

"You should rest. Your wound will take time to heal." Wu laid Cole's shoulders down against the soft pillow.

"Wound…?" The earth wielder looked back on the recent events and the memories came back. He remembered fighting the werewolves and one of them dragged its claws down his back. The large gashed burned with white hot pain just remembering it and he let out a hiss in pain.

"Wait… That warning…," Jay reminded the group, "Beowulf said one of us has been marked. All of us have been bitten and scratched so it could be any of us…"

Yet another dark cloud loomed over the ninjas. One of them was a werewolf but they have no idea who it was and that was the problem.

"Nya was in the Samurai Mech the whole time and Zane's a machine so I don't think it's them." Lloyd quickly ruled out the samurai and the nindroid.

"So which one of us do you think is the werewolf?" Kai asked.

"I still don't know… All we can do is prepare ourselves…" Nya answered.

"But none of our wounds are as serious as Cole's…" Jay eyed the bedridden ninja's back.

Cole can sense the distrust in his brothers' eyes and fear started to rise in his psyche, a fear of himself causing harm to them. He hated to admit it but the talkative ninja was right. He was the only one who suffered a serious injury and that often turned someone into a werewolf.

"That stuff only happens in the movies." Kai once again dismissed the blue ninja.

"But all of us were attacked and Beowulf said only one of us was marked. If there's anything we have learned in our experiences, it's that even the least likely events come to pass. Kai, please don't forget what we've been through." Zane lectured his teammate.

"Whether or not Cole's the werewolf, we need to give him time to heal. Accusations will make it worse. We must give him some space." Wu quickly shooed the ninjas out of the room.

But Cole was still filled with fear and anxiety over the possibilities.

'What if I really _am_ a werewolf…?' The earth ninja stared at his hands. The images of his human nails extending into beastly claws kept flashing in his mind and the werewolves' growls echoed in his ears, no matter how much he tried telling himself there was no evidence… yet…

Cole growled when his back was suddenly hit with bouts of burning pain and was immediately shocked by how… _animalistic_ his voice sounded at that moment…

He still didn't know if he was a werewolf and that only made him even more fearful…

"What's happening to me…?" He buried his face in his hands, overcome by his internal crisis.

Cole didn't know what was going on nor would he like the answer…

* * *

 **Oh man… Just like Day of the Departed will, I'm really letting the poor guy have it…**

 **For my confession, I know I'm going to piss off a lot of fans but I find post-Season 2 Garmadon overrated though I don't necessarily hate him. Long story short, for me, he's that one character the fandom's constantly fawning over but I'm just 'meh' with them.**

 **Okay, I'm done. Hopefully this story will be done by Halloween & please review!**


	3. Unexpected

**A Werewolf in Ninjago**

 **I'm gonna say it, I enjoyed writing this chapter cuz if you think Cole's the werewolf, that's exactly what I'm going for. After all, Halloween just isn't complete without some tricks…**

 **So read the whole thing & prepare yourselves for a big surprise!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Unexpected

When Cole was told his vitals were in good shape asides the wounds on his back, those words only worried him more. It didn't seem natural to recover from such a serious injury so quickly…

"I really _am_ a werewolf…" Cole stared at his hands for the umpteenth time this morning.

Even the ninjas thought something wasn't right when they picked him up from the hospital and that was just the beginning. Even they knew it wasn't normal to recover from a wound like that as quickly as he did. Something was wrong but there was nothing they can do…

* * *

Everyone stared at the earth ninja scarfing down his breakfast like there was no tomorrow. Cole always had a pretty hefty appetite (especially for cake) but the way he ate also put them off. He discarded his utensils halfway through his first plate of ham and eggs and was literally clawing his way through his meal and even let out occasional growls.

The ninjas also noticed his growing taste for meat as Cole demanded more sausage, bacon, and ham until it was the only thing he was willing to eat, which only fed their suspicion that he was the werewolf Beowulf told them about…

"S-should we try and talk to him…?" Nya whispered to Zane, who was exhausted from cooking so much food for his cursed brother.

"Judging from Cole's behavioral changes, I wouldn't recommend it." The nindroid answered.

"Uh… Cole…?" Lloyd raised his hand nervously.

The earth wielder suddenly snarled at the green ninja, who was startled by his feral display. At that moment, Cole resembled a beast more than a human. The young ninja could've sworn his canines looked sharper than usual through the shredded bits of meat clinging to his face.

"Whoa! Chill!" Jay shrunk back from the muscular ninja's frightening reaction.

Cole soon realized what he was doing and his fear of hurting his brethren only increased.

"Oh god… I… I'm so sorry… I don't want to hurt any of you…" The black ninja already felt himself losing grip of his humanity.

"Don't worry, Cole. We'll find a way to fix this." The blue ninja tried to cheer him up.

"How can you fix it!? There's no cure for this! I'm stuck as a werewolf forever!" Cole snapped, startling the ninjas yet again.

"You can't give up! You're the ninja of earth, dammit! It's not like you to give up in a flash!" Kai snapped.

"I'm not myself anymore!" Cole growled like a feral animal again but no one backed down.

"Perhaps you need some time to be alone." Wu spoke up in a calm tone.

Cole breathed heavily, having a hard time dealing with his tumult of emotions. He didn't want his team worrying about him but these primal urges were slowly but surely consuming him. He remembered how vicious Beowulf and his followers were last night and to even think he'll end up like them and do the same to his brothers…

"I'm starting to realize something…" Jay said, breaking the cursed ninja out of his thoughts.

"Tell us." Zane goaded the lightning wielder.

"You know how werewolves are said to only transform on a full moon?" The blue ninja started.

"What about it?" Nya asked.

"There wasn't even a full moon last night and the next one won't happen in a couple of weeks. Whatever Beowulf did to change those people into werewolves will take place every night and Cole might transform tonight…"

"N-no…!" Cole shook and backed up against the wall.

"Cole, please. You need to calm down." Lloyd approached him but not without apprehension.

"Stay back!" The earth wielder shrunk away from the green ninja's presence.

The ninjas felt terrible for their brother but right now, there was nothing they can do.

"But that still leaves another question. If those werewolves turn back in the morning, why don't they just return?" Kai brought up the loophole in Jay's theory.

"As unwise as it seems, we may have to go back and confront Beowulf. There are some things about these events that only he knows the answers to." Sensei Wu answered for his disciples.

"That won't change anything." Cole muttered.

"Cole, you're not going to hurt us." Nya tried convincing him again but Cole felt she only said it just to make him feel better and it wasn't working at all.

"Once I change, there's nothing I can do. I must leave before nighttime…"

"But that'll put the people of Ninjago at risk if you're gonna run loose."

"I'm going to go as far away from civilization as possible. Lloyd, Sensei, I want you to come with me. If there's anyone who can stop me when I become a werewolf, it's you guys."

"Are you sure? We're still not one-hundred percent sure you _are_ the werewolf…" Lloyd tried to get the black ninja to think about his choices.

"Haven't you seen what I've already done? I almost attacked you and it'll only continue as long as I'm near you. I need to get out of here." The black ninja sighed.

"Cole, you haven't been yourself since the attack and it concerns us." Zane spoke up.

"Exactly. I'm no longer myself. I can't be around you anymore…" Cole also felt reluctant to leave the ninjas but he didn't want to hurt them either. There was no other way…

"Cole, are you really sure you want to go through with this?" Lloyd asked one more time.

"It's the only way I won't hurt anyone else. I want you to do whatever you can to stop me." The black ninja remained resolute.

Lloyd knew that no matter what he'll say or do, Cole won't back down from his decision. He was just way too stubborn for his own good at the worst of times but then again, it was fitting given his element. But it didn't make it any easier to deal with.

"I sense absolutely nothing will stop you. If this is what you really want from us, then so be it." Wu said, also finding no reason to convince his student otherwise.

* * *

Hours felt like days for Cole but the slow passage of time didn't ease his mind at all. Whenever the ninjas approached, he always growled at them and his already large appetite increased to a level that can't be considered healthy for humans and whenever he wanted to eat, he ate only whatever meat the ninjas had on hand. Every passing minute was agonizing for the earth ninja but the night will only make it worse. He didn't even want to do this but he wanted to do what it takes to keep his brethren safe. They were his family and they didn't deserve it but he knew that life can be unfair…

Finally, the fateful moment will arrive.

The bright blue sky started to fade in a mélange of oranges and purples. What was supposed to be a lovely sight was an ill omen for Cole. The twilight will herald the beginning of his departure and transformation into a monster.

"It's time. Lloyd, Sensei. I want you to come with me." Cole beckoned them.

The ninjas knew that once the earth ninja had his mind set on something it was next to useless trying to get him to change his mind.

"Cole, I'm only saying this one more time. You don't have to do this." Kai tried again to keep his brother from breaking away from the team and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Kai, you must understand. I _have_ to do this. Not just for myself but for you guys." Cole merely pushed Kai's hand away from him and walked ahead of the small group, refusing to look back.

The ninjas obviously wanted to say something but Sensei Wu silenced them before they can say a single word.

"This is Cole's decision and it's final. We'll see you in the morning." The old man's voice was soft yet stern before taking leave with his student and nephew.

The others looked on with concern for their leader.

Despite what he believes, they have to find a cure…

* * *

The sun was starting to set and Cole stared at the last traces of its light slowly fade away.

The small group stood at the edge of the Birchwood Forest, biding their time for the inevitable.

"This is it…!" Cole braced himself for a potentially painful transformation.

Lloyd and Wu also prepared themselves for the inevitable confrontation and can hear their own hearts beat with anticipation and uncertainty as did the marked ninja.

The last traces of sunlight vanished and the first stars of the evening shone in the dark night sky but Cole didn't feel anything… yet…

'Any second now…'

Seconds turned to minutes but it only made the seemingly cursed ninja even more confused.

"I don't get it… Why am I not changing…?" Cole stared at his own body but nothing changed.

It quickly dawned on his teacher and his nephew what the lack of changes meant…

"Do you see what this means!? You're not a werewolf!" Lloyd exclaimed with relief.

"But this is the worst time to celebrate," Wu interrupted the ninjas' relief, "This means we left the others with the real werewolf!"

"Shit! We have to get back!" The earth wielder mentally kicked himself for diverging the ninjas' attention from the true culprit.

"If it isn't Cole, then who is it!?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm afraid we'll soon find out…"

The trio wasted no time heading back to their headquarters and identify the real werewolf…

* * *

Back at the Destiny's Bounty…

Zane, Jay, and Nya backed up against the corner of the room while witnessing Kai growling and writhing on the floor. His sudden reaction quickly gave away the answer to their questions.

It was actually Kai who was the werewolf the whole time.

"Kai! Snap out of it! Please!" Nya pleaded but her cries fell on deaf ears.

"Nya! Don't go near him!" Jay restrained her but she kept fighting back and he feared he'll lose his grip and leave her at her brother's mercy.

"I can't just leave him like this!" The sister of fire struggled in his grasp.

Amidst his struggles, Kai stared at the group as if he wanted to say something but his grip on his own sanity was slipping and the pain was too much. He was just as frightened of his own curse as the others but there was nothing he can do and that scared him more. Now he understood how Cole felt but he may not feel any emotions for long.

"…N-Nya…" He barely grunted while facing his sister.

"Kai…" Despite the risk, the female samurai approached her brother.

"What are you doing!? He's gonna turn you into a werewolf too!" The blue ninja grabbed Nya in a protective hold.

Nya would've responded but was interrupted by her brother's bloodcurdling scream.

The two remaining ninjas and samurai can do nothing but stare at Kai's painful transformation in utter horror.

Kai bellowed with agony as every bone in his body shifted into something more feral. The ninjas can see all of his teeth sharpen into wolfish fangs and his nails extended into deadly claws. His muscles grew at an abnormal rate until his body matched the werewolves the ninjas fought last night, tearing his red gi to measly shreds. Thick brown fur grew and covered his mutated body while the sound of crunching bones heralded his spine extending into a long bushy tail and his face pushing out into a wolfish muzzle.

The newly minted werewolf stood on his hind legs, towering above the ninjas and samurai and belted out an angry howl that shook the entire Bounty.

As a werewolf, Kai was nearly unrecognizable save for the scars around his left eye. He turned and stared at the ninjas and his sisters hungrily…

"Kai, stop! Don't you even recognize me!?" Nya cried.

"I'm afraid Kai's already gone!" Even Zane considered it unwise to approach the former ninja.

The ninja turned werewolf lunged at the group, who barely escaped from his attack. Jay lunged at him from behind but the beast grabbed and hurled him across the room like a ragdoll where he laid in a motionless heap. Zane attempted to use his ice powers to impede the werewolf but the former ninja bore his claws on the nindroid, slashing his torso with the sound of shredding metal and exposing parts of the ice ninja's endoskeleton through the large claw marks. The oil in Zane's body splattered all over him like blood but the sight of it was just as disturbing.

With both ninjas out cold, Nya found herself cornered by her own brother.

"Kai, stop! I know you're still in there!" The sister of fire still pleaded.

Nya could see a hint of humanity in her brother's eyes and his expression softened. His pointed ears pulled back as if he realized and felt remorse over what he had done. The beast recognized the one he called his sister and let out a quiet whimper.

"Oh my god, Kai… We have to find a way to fix this…" Nya carefully approached her brother.

Ironically, Kai in his monstrous form never looked so vulnerable to his sister and it made her all the more determined to find a way to save him, but someone, or something else, intervened.

'You're one of us.' A familiar yet foreign voice echoed in Kai's mind, 'You have far more power than them. It's what you've always wanted and now, it's in your grasp. Join us.'

Kai snarled and recoiled from Nya, trying to get the voice out of his head.

The werewolf tried to resist but his deepest, darkest desires overcame his fear of causing harm to his loved ones and he snapped his jaws at Nya, who just managed to duck in time. The beast couldn't stand being away from his true pack and leapt through the large window, sending glass shards big and small everywhere and not caring if any sharp fragments sank through his fur and into his skin. Once his paws touched dry earth, Kai ran off much with a high speed that not even Jay possessed while Nya got up just in time to see him escape out of her sight.

"KAI!" She called out to him and at the same time, she could her him howl in the distance.

Cole and the others finally returned but were a few minutes too late.

"Guys! Cole's not the werewolf!" Lloyd shouted while barging in.

"And you realized that just now!?" Nya lashed out at the young ninja.

"Holy crap! What the hell happened!?" The green ninja was shocked once he got a good look at the surrounding wreckage.

It took only a few seconds for Sensei Wu to piece together that Kai was the werewolf given the red ninja's absence and Nya's shell-shocked face.

"So Kai was the werewolf the whole time…" Once again, the old man was ashamed of himself, this time for putting his students' lives in jeopardy all because of a superstitious assumption.

"We're too late!" Cole stared at the damage in horror. He thought he was going to be the one who'll cause all this destruction but to finally realize it was one of his brothers all along…

"We need to find Kai." He said with a firm resolve.

"Are you crazy!? He's gonna rip us apart!" Lloyd can tell from the ruined Bounty that Kai will be a force to be reckoned with if they do confront him.

"That's what you all thought _I_ would do and I was afraid I will but now, Kai's out there and we have to keep him from harming anyone else and himself. He's probably going through the same dilemma I had. He was always there for us and now, we have to do the same for him."

"We can't go after Kai right now. There are those who need us more than Kai." Wu pointed at Jay and Zane's prone bodies.

Cole and Lloyd cringed at the sight of Zane's wounds and all the oil and can't even imagine what it must've been like if he was human but did as they were told and got the wounded ninjas into the infirmary to recover.

* * *

It didn't take long for Jay to wake up but his back was extremely painful and needed Nya's help to fix Zane's wounds. While fixing his teammate, the lightning ninja let the memories flow back, from Cole leaving the group to Kai's horrific transformation. He had a bunch of questions but he had to focus on repairing the automaton laying before him. The lengthy repair time was taking its toll on the ninjas because the longer they stayed, the more time Kai had to wreak havoc.

"At least his power source wasn't harmed," Jay examined the blossom-like machinery, "If it was even scratched, it'll take god knows how long to fix it."

The blue ninja turned on the power source and within seconds, Zane finally awoke.

"Zane, do you remember anything?" Sensei Wu asked the rejuvenated robot first.

"Sensei? I thought you were…" The android nearly finished his question when he immediately remembered the events that transpired not too long ago.

"Okay. Zane's up, now we can go look for Kai." Lloyd said.

"It's too late. Kai's already changed and he's never coming back." Nya answered sadly, staring at the horizon where she last saw him.

"But where exactly did he go?" Jay asked while trying to console his lover.

"There is a seventy-percent chance his intended destination is the Forgotten Lands." Zane ran a quick calculation in his internal database.

"Then what are we waiting for? We also have our own questions to ask Beowulf." Cole tried to rally his brethren for another journey to Beowulf's abode.

"He probably won't even answer. If we try to find him, he'll only mark us." Jay retorted.

"That doesn't matter. We need to find a way to change Kai and the other werewolves back."

"But how? There's no known documents of any antidote."

"We can't look for him. At least not tonight," Wu said, "You still are in no shape for battle and it's very late. We have to start looking for an antidote in the morning."

"But Kai's still…"

"The werewolves won't cause any harm during the day. I do understand your determination to find your brother but we are helpless right now. We are not invincible and there's nothing we can do. I know it sounds cruel but we must leave him. You must regain your strength."

There were times when the ninjas hated when Wu was right and this was one of them. In their current condition, they can't fight a bunch of werewolves, much less their own brother. But one thing was certain.

When the morning comes, they won't rest until they can stop Beowulf once and for all…

* * *

 **Yup. Kai was the werewolf the whole time. I got this idea because whenever Halloween came around, I saw a bunch of fics & art of Cole as a werewolf & I wanted to do something with a huge twist. Speaking of Kai, here's today's headcanon: I think the names for Kai & Nya's canon parents would be Hikaru (light) for their dad & Izumi (fountain) for their mom.**

 **Okay, so do you think the ninjas will find a way to defeat Beowulf & change Kai back?**

 **Wait until the next chapter to find out! Now review!**


	4. Guilty

**A Werewolf in Ninjago**

 **Hey guys! I love how surprised some of you are with the big twist but that may not be the only one in this Halloween special! Although I'm not exactly a Garmadon fan & didn't intend for him to show up, I decided to give those that are a little treat to go with the tricks & have him appear via flashback in this chapter that'll show the events that led up this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Guilty

The remaining ninjas couldn't sleep at all and did nothing but toss and turn on their beds all the way to early morning when the soft rays of the morning sun drove off the darkness of night and birds filled the morning air with their songs. But the ninjas can't sleep knowing one of their own was now a monster.

After hours of moping, Cole really wanted to be alone. The earth ninja stumbled out of his bed and left for the deck of the Bounty. The others noticed but they had their own mental turmoil and with the way things are, they can't blame him for leaving.

"I thought I was going to endanger my team but I only made things worse…" Cole lamented his teammate's predicament.

The black ninja leaned on the railing, watching the sun rise. He can't help but wonder what Kai was doing at the moment but just thinking about his cursed brother only made things worse for the already stressed ninja.

"This is all my fault…" Cole buried his face in his hands, "If I hadn't been all caught up in thinking I was the werewolf, this wouldn't have happened in the first place… I'm sorry, Kai… There may have been a way to prevent all this if I hadn't been so selfish…"

The earth ninja just wanted to break down but he can't. He already caused so much trouble…

* * *

In his own room, Sensei Wu didn't have an easy rest either.

The old man lit up another stick of incense and meditated over his students' situation. He knew what it was like to fight one of his own, even before that fateful day his brother was lost in the Underworld. He also felt a terrible guilt, knowing all this wouldn't have happened if he at least tried seeing eye to eye with his sibling…

* * *

 _Wu and Garmadon heard about Beowulf and the disturbing rumors surrounding him. It was said he had the ability to change into any animal he wishes or he was part of a primitive cult. Some stories about him were almost too good to be true such as his supposed taste for human flesh. Nonetheless, the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master knew he could be a threat to Ninjago if they let him continue doing as he pleases. They journeyed far and wide across Ninjago, seeking out every last piece of information anyone had on Beowulf._

 _They heard from villagers that the most likely hiding spot for Beowulf was the barren forests in the Forgotten Lands. They didn't have much time and they decided to check the desolate plains first and it was a good thing they did._

 _After trekking the forest for hours and just as they were about the give up, the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master stumbled upon Beowulf's hiding spot. Just as they expected, Beowulf was there, lying in wait._

" _I knew it was only a matter of time before you show up and try to stop me." Beowulf gloated._

 _The nefarious man appeared to only be a few years older than Garmadon and Wu yet his locks were a pale silver like a man who've seen decades pass by. His skin had an eerily pale tone and just one look at his silver eyes made them know he was a deceitful man willing to do whatever it takes to make his ambitions a reality._

" _So you already know why we came here…" Garmadon sneered at his enemy._

" _We won't let you carry out your evil plans." Wu reached for his staff, preparing for a fight._

" _I like to see you try." Beowulf's eyes flickered in a supernatural golden hue._

 _For that one moment, it seemed like he wasn't human anymore… at least for one moment right before he transformed before their very eyes._

 _Beowulf's height and weight grew to something beyond human and grey fur started growing all over his body until it covered every last inch of flesh on his mutated body. Beowulf's face was no longer that of a human but of a beast._

 _Right before the brothers' eyes, Beowulf changed into something unhuman._

 _He was now a full-fledged werewolf._

" _What… what are you…?" Wu quivered but stood his ground against Ninjago's biggest threat._

" _I am perfection. I am what all humanity will be. This world and everything in it was meant for me. Soon, everyone and everything will submit to my might… STARTING WITH YOU!"_

 _Without warning, Beowulf lunged at the brothers at an incredible speed. Wu struck the monster first with his staff and once he reeled back, Garmadon swung his sword and the blade was able to cut through Beowulf's forearm. Blood gushed forth in a suspiciously darker color but he was not one to surrender so easily, whether as a man or monster._

" _NINJA-GO!" The brothers unleashed their Spinjitzu powers to keep Beowulf from getting close._

 _The werewolf howled with fury and attacked them again but they had an advantage. Whenever he focused on one of them, the other would strike from behind. Beowulf quickly lost his temper and started thrashing around like the animal he was._

 _Garmadon's bloodlust provoked the venom in him to take further control of his mind and it was apparent with him fighting much more ruthlessly than Wu, whose primary focus was subduing Beowulf rather than downright killing him. They were careful not to let the beast scratch or bite them, which made the battle more difficult than it already was for them but they didn't give up._

 _After what felt like hours, Garmadon and Wu were able to subdue the werewolf._

 _Beowulf laid in a crumpled heap, his fur matted in his own dark blood and his chest heaving as he took labored breaths. The brothers loomed over him and he knew they will subject him to a brutal punishment for his actions. He can do nothing but stare at the puny humans, his golden eyes burning with pure hatred…_

" _There's no way you could even hope to defeat me." Garmadon glared at the subdued monster with blood-red eyes._

" _Go ahead…" Beowulf growled defiantly, "Do your worst…"_

 _The older brother felt the lingering bloodlust in him and planned to satisfy it by killing Beowulf._

 _Garmadon silently hoisted up his sword, ready to strike him down but it never happened._

" _Brother! No!" Wu grabbed Garmadon's arm just before the final blow was struck._

 _Garmadon looked at his younger brother with a mix of shock and anger and even the werewolf before him looked astonished by Wu's choice to spare his life but the immense pain and fatigue caused his consciousness to leave him shortly after._

" _Let go." The older brother said in a tone as cold as the Frozen North._

" _You can't kill him! He's still a living being!" Wu still pleaded._

" _Are you sympathizing with that monster?"_

" _No! But I don't agree with your ideals either! This isn't what Father taught us to be!"_

" _Father isn't here anymore. His reign is over, now we decide how to deal with our enemies." The elder son shot another death glare at the defeated werewolf._

" _Garmadon, if you kill Beowulf, you'll be no better than him!"_

" _So that's what it's all about? You think I'm already at the bottom rung, do you?" The red-eyed man stared down his brother, referring to that childhood incident that started it all._

" _N-n-no! I-I just don't… I don't think…" Wu stuttered, still feeling guilty for causing the incident with his cowardice._

" _If you don't want anyone to die so badly, how will_ _ **you**_ _deal with people like Beowulf?"_

 _The fair-haired man bit his lip in anxiety, not knowing what to do. He understood that Beowulf will only continue to be a threat as long as he lives but he still doesn't have the same conviction to end a life like his brother. He didn't want to dishonor their father by committing murder but he was also aware that Garmadon did have a point. If Beowulf were to live, most likely he'll try to convert all of humanity to become feral monsters until he succeeds. There may be some other way to thwart Beowulf's wicked plans._

" _Our father never resorted to such measures when dealing with his enemies. We have to carry on his legacy, no matter what. Brother, there is another way to put a stop to Beowulf's plans."_

" _How so…?" Garmadon asked, expecting his brother to explain it for him._

" _Father defeated the Overlord by sealing him on the Dark Island. If we do the same to Beowulf here, he will not be able to bring his plans to fruition." Wu whispered to him._

" _But foolish outsiders may wind up here. He'll still have a chance." His brother argued._

" _As long as he stays here, he won't cause any harm. Brother, perhaps there will be a way to get rid of him for good… but it won't show up for a long time…"_

 _The venom's grip on Garmadon's psyche waned and the elder brother finally relented…_

* * *

 _Using the powers bestowed to them from their father's bloodline, Wu and Garmadon branded a seal onto Beowulf's back. The mark bore the symbol of 'imprisoned' and the brothers whispered several incantations for it to function as they saw fit._

" _You fools. What have you done to me?" Beowulf, who reverted to his human form, cursed once he woke up._

" _As long as you bear the mark upon you, you shall never leave this forest ever again or else your entire being will be erased from existence." Wu sternly warned Beowulf of his new limits._

 _Beowulf did nothing but glare at the brothers and they had a feeling he would still do whatever it takes to fulfill his desires but right now, he was stripped of whatever power he had and it was time for the brothers to depart._

" _You are way too softhearted." Garmadon spat at his brother once they were out of the forest._

" _But we can't stoop to Beowulf's level. We shouldn't kill anyone out of cold blood." Wu argued back, still disagreeing with his sibling._

 _Garmadon's red eyes glowed with anger for one second before giving an ominous warning…_

" _One day, you_ _ **will**_ _regret this…"_

* * *

And Garmadon was right.

Wu now regretted sparing Beowulf, allowing him to spread his curse and even ensnare one of his pupils. If he hadn't stopped his brother, Ninjago wouldn't have to worry about the werewolf and Kai wouldn't have been marked but he was an overly idealistic fool.

'I caused all these unfortunate events to happen… It's all my fault…' The old man had the choice to wallow in self-blame but he refused.

'But the mistakes of the past can never be undone. Fate works in its own twisted ways and we will find a way to make things right.'

Sensei Wu got up and prepared himself for a stressful day…

* * *

Morning had arrived but the ninjas were already feeling uneasy. The next time they encounter Kai, he'll be an enemy and no matter how he looked or behave, they know they can never bring themselves to harm one of their own. After an uneasy breakfast, they wasted no time gathering in the bridge to come up with a plan.

"I never thought this would happen…" Jay was still in disbelief over what happened to Kai, "We have to fight Kai as a legit enemy…"

Cole felt another pang of guilt, still blaming himself for this whole mess.

Nya did nothing but sit in the corner and mope. She became extremely sullen since Kai left and with him gone, she truly had no family left. She was still determined to save her brother but she wasn't sure if she will have the conviction to do so. She and Kai fought before but never at this scale and she wasn't even sure if he can be saved at all…

"What are we gonna do? We still have no idea how to deal with Beowulf and his lackeys." Lloyd complained over their seemingly hopeless situation.

"To make things worse, we can't get Beowulf to come to us because of that seal." Cole said.

"If that seal on him still works, then we could somehow lure Beowulf and Ninjago will be rid of that mangy mutt forever." Jay was first to offer a suggestion.

"I hate to say this but it won't work because we have to keep him alive. Only he knows how to break the curse or Kai and the other innocent people will be werewolves forever." Nya retorted with a hint of distress in her voice.

"Even after our recuperation, we are still vastly outnumbered and the emotional strain of being forced to fight one of our own only tips the scale in Beowulf's favor." Zane warned his brethren.

"But Cole's wound was much more serious than Kai's. How is it that Cole survived and Kai was the one to transform?" The green ninja was still confused over the reason why it was the fiery ninja who was cursed and not the earth wielder, not knowing he only rubbed more salt on the wound in Cole's psyche.

"That's another question only Beowulf can answer," His uncle said solemnly, "But as Zane said, we won't stand a chance against him and his cult, at least not right now. First, we must seek out some more information so at least know what to do besides the obvious."

"If there _is_ a cure, how else will we find it?" Nya asked.

"The old archives in the Ninjago Museum traces way back to my father's time. Now that it is all but confirmed that Beowulf is back, now is the time to seek out any clues we can get there."

* * *

Because they were ninjas, the curator of the museum gave them the privilege to look around as they please. The ninjas pored through every book, scroll, and tablet of ancient history they can their hands on but the majority of them were just about the deeds of the First Spinjitzu Master and the more well-known events in Ninjago's history. The few bestiaries they found didn't show anything about werewolves.

Lloyd was just about ready to give up when something finally caught his emerald eye.

"Guys, I think I found something that could help us." The young ninja beckoned the others to a large dusty book titled 'Index of Ancient Spells' tucked away deep in the oldest archives.

"How is a book about spells gonna help us deal with werewolves?" Jay peered at the old tome, wondering how it will offer any insight on the ninjas' dilemma.

"Beowulf used similar means to become a werewolf. This book may offer some insight on how to deal with them." Zane took the heavy tome and carefully skimmed through it.

"But is there anything about werewolves!?" Nya asked, her patience rapidly running out.

"Please have patience a little while longer." The level-headed nindroid said without looking up while flipping through the yellow pages.

"Here. This article is about transformations into different species." He stopped at a page with a diagram of a human and a beast.

"Go on." Wu goaded the ice wielder to keep reading.

Zane pored through every last word in the article. Unfortunately, there were only vague details but he was able to come to a conclusion from what the article entailed.

"Little is known of the rituals that change a human into an animal. The only known way for one to become cursed is to have their blood touched by the original accursed one." He finally spoke.

"I see," Wu whispered, "Beowulf must've been the one who attacked Kai but didn't do anything to Cole…"

"Anything else?" Jay goaded the nindroid to keep reading.

The ice ninja reread everything about werewolves several times but he never found anything in regards to a cure.

"Unfortunately, this book reveals nothing about an antidote. I'm sorry."

"Maybe if we keep looking, we'll find at least some hints. Don't give up." Wu goaded the ninjas.

"Sensei, we've been here for hours and turned the whole museum upside-down, _thrice_. There's no way we'll find anything else here." The blue ninja complained.

"Sometimes, the answers we seek may have been with us the whole time and we won't realize it until needed. Complaining will not make our situation any better nor will it fix anything." The aged teacher calmly scolded his high-strung student.

"Wait… Something's not right…" Lloyd gasped, looking around him and noticed something was horribly wrong… He peered at the faces around him and now, the ninjas faced another issue…

"…Where's Cole…?" The green ninja's face became white as a sheet when he couldn't find the black ninja at all.

"WHAT!?"

Zane, Jay, and Nya ran all over the museum and back, looking for their missing brother but he was nowhere to be found, as if he disappeared into thin air. The remaining ninjas were mentally kicking themselves for not being aware that Cole snuck off right under their noses.

"Shit! First, Beowulf's on the loose, next, Kai's a werewolf, and now, Cole's gone!" Nya tossed her hands up in frustration.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Even Zane couldn't come up with a logical conclusion to why the team leader would do such a thing.

"I have no doubts that Cole's guilt has consumed him…" Sensei Wu concluded.

"So where did he go?" The female samurai asked while making no effort to hide her frustration.

Zane went through every scenario that came in mind and found the most likely reason for Cole to sneak off.

"The possibility he left to face Beowulf himself is seventy-five percent."

"Does he have any idea what he's gonna get himself into!?" Jay went off on his infamous rants, "That dumbass is heading straight for the lion's den! It may be daytime now but we already saw what Beowulf can do! He's gonna freakin' kill him!"

"Not if we have something to say about that." Lloyd marched ahead, preparing to summon the Ultra Dragon.

"But that means we'll also be facing Kai…" The sister of fire sighed, "I wonder if he remembers anything at all…"

"There's only one way to find out." Sensei Wu followed his nephew and got onto the dragon.

The remaining ninjas and samurai had no choice but to follow him and they set off to find Cole and eventually Kai as well.

If they learned anything, the ninjas may be in for another nasty surprise…

* * *

 **And the twists continue. Anyway, I was only going to write 4 real chapters but I wanted to tie up any loose ends so this is gonna be a 5 chapter story instead. We'll see what Cole was doing the whole time & maybe we'll see what happened to Kai at the same time along with some more Beowulf, which brings me to my confessions. The biggest disappointment in Rebooted, at least for me, was the lack of Cryptor. He was hyped to be the major antagonist but he was completely overshadowed by the Overlord & all the potential for Pixal that was utterly wasted as well as her being stuck in Zane's head has me finding her pitiable.**

 **But enough about that. Please review!**


	5. Incognito

**A Werewolf in Ninjago**

 **It's time for another update!**

 **In this chapter, we'll see more on what happened to Kai after he escaped & we'll find out how & why Cole disappeared. There's only 1 chapter left so hold on to your hats!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Incognito

The moon shone over the Forgotten Lands where Beowulf lurked. The werewolf always had an affinity for the night hours even before he faced off with Wu and Garmadon. He was interested in all those things that go bump in the night and now, there was another.

Beowulf remained in the forest with his cult, waiting for another to add to his cult. Every time he marked someone, they will be imbued with the instincts to be with the pack like real wolves and his latest victim was no exception. The wait was long but it was worth it when he heard the sound of a stray beast wandering not far from the pack until another werewolf appeared.

Beowulf was quick to recognize the stranger by the scars around his left eye. It was Kai, the fire ninja he marked last night.

"I've been expecting you." Beowulf stared down at his new servant once he arrived.

The werewolf that was Kai howled and all the other werewolves joined in.

Beowulf had the choice to send his werewolves out for more victims but if he learned anything, he was aware of the likelihood of the other ninjas going after Kai and that was exactly what he wanted. Once they encroach his territory, he'll let them join Kai and with no one to protect the rest of the world from him, he'll be unstoppable and werewolves will reign supreme.

'He has joined us, Master. What is the next part of your plan?' One of the zealots 'spoke'.

As werewolves, Beowulf's zealots can't speak like normal humans unlike their master but they were still able to communicate with their thoughts through the mental links from their curse.

'We will wait. The others will come for him and then I will mark them. My seal may last forever but I will still rule Ninjago by making everyone fall under my will. It's only a matter of time until my plans will finally become a reality.' Beowulf answered.

'As you wish, Master.'

'It is already too late to increase our numbers. Wait until the ninjas come…' The alpha werewolf saw the subtle brightening of the night sky and decided to wait for his plans to come to fruition.

Morning had come but it will bring no salvation for the marked ones. Their feral bodies shrunk down as more sunlight seeped through the treetops until they were back to humans, if they can still be considered humans at that point. They may appear human during the day but they were still marked and their human minds have been all but wiped out. The zealots were now nothing but mindless zombies who thought of nothing but pleasing their master. The humans did little else but follow Beowulf around back to his base in a network of subterranean caves below the woods, waiting for his command like a bunch of dogs. It was part of the curse he inflicted on his victims, which was exactly what he wanted. The werewolf's curse not only affected their bodies but also their minds.

But there was always one who wouldn't give in so easily.

Once Kai was human again, he regained full control of himself and there was only one thing on his mind and that was beating Beowulf to a bloody pulp for marking him. He lost control of his body but there was a tiny part of him that was aware of everything. He can only remember tiny snippets of what he had done but he remembered the horrified expressions of his brothers and Nya's faces as well as injuring Jay and Zane. With his humanity restored, the very first thing on his mind was to make Beowulf pay for turning him into a monster and quickly tackled the alpha wolf before he knew what was going on.

"You bastard! What have you done to me!?" He snarled whilst pinning down Beowulf.

"There's a reason why I chose you over the rest of those humans." Beowulf responded as coolly as ever despite being at the mercy of a ninja intent on tearing him to pieces.

"I don't care! You made me hurt my brothers!" The fire ninja yelled.

"I sense it. Just like everyone else before you, I sensed your deepest, darkest desires," Beowulf continued, "I know you are still jealous of the green ninja and even the other ninjas. I know that you still seek out more power and I gave it to you. Those desires are brought out once you turn into a werewolf for the first time. You can keep it… if you join me."

Kai hated that Beowulf was right. Ever since he found out Lloyd was the green ninja, he became jealous of the young hero. He may have come to terms with it now but there was a small part of him that was still envious of Lloyd and wanted to wrest the title away from him. He still found himself wanting more power but he didn't want it this way. As envious as he was of the green ninja, he didn't want to hurt anyone, especially the other ninjas, in the process.

"I don't want it like this! I don't want to hurt my brothers to get what I want!" Kai snapped.

"You have it. You now have what you've truly wanted and this is how you repay me?"

"I will _never_ serve you!" The fire wielder growled, relying on his fists to fight Beowulf again.

"Don't be foolish," Beowulf sneered, "I have you right at the palm of my hands. I have complete control over you, whether you like it or not."

Kai tried to attack Beowulf again but the alpha wolf whispered something in an arcane language and the fire ninja doubled over in pain. He felt it just once before but he already knew what was going to happen to him.

'No…!'

Waves of agony rushed through Kai's body as he again felt the pains of his transformation. His body mutated into that of a werewolf despite the broad daylight outside but Kai tried to keep a grip on his sanity but Beowulf now knew of the fire ninja's determination. The silver-haired man whispered another strange incantation and Kai was starting to lose his mind again.

"No! I won't let you hurt my brothers! I won't give in! I won't! I… won't…"

Kai was horrified when he could feel his own mind slipping away. He tried to hold on but it was a downhill struggle and he was quickly tumbling down. All traces of humanity in the werewolf was gone and all that remained of the fire ninja was a raging beast. His newest recruit went on all fours and pulled back his ears as a sign of submission to the alpha wolf.

Beowulf was pleased that another spell he learned before he was sealed still worked. Kai's mind will be completely wiped out, replaced by a feral desire to serve his master while his body was stuck as a werewolf until he decides he can turn back. The permanently changed wolf struggled for several more moments until his mind was totally erased. Kai howled again and sauntered to Beowulf's side, groveling by his feet like the lowly wild monster he now was.

The zealots observed without uttering a single word, still feeling nothing but absolute loyalty to their master, no matter what.

"Let this be an example to you all if you dare to even consider disobeying me." Beowulf glanced at his minions, expecting them to learn from what they just saw.

The other cursed ones quickly bowed down to affirm their eternal loyalty to him. Now that they knew what will happen if they even thought of defying him, they couldn't fathom doing so, not that they could even think about it given their curse.

"Now take him away. I want for him to also wait patiently for the ninjas."

A few of the cultists wrapped some chains around Kai's neck and limbs and dragged him off into the deeper part of the underground complex until the ninjas come looking for him.

'Just a little longer…' Beowulf thought to himself, 'Then Ninjago will be all mine to take…'

* * *

The ninjas didn't spend much time in the local museum but a certain ninja was already getting tired of wasting his time _not_ trying to rescue Kai.

Cole still couldn't get rid of the guilt that's been eating him from the inside out since finding out Kai was a werewolf the whole time. He was supposed to be the team leader but all he did was drive the team apart because of his selfishness. But not only was he feeling guilt but he also felt frustrated by his brethren's reliance on a bunch of books when they can be out looking for Kai. It was nothing but a foolish gamble and he can only imagine them losing.

Sensei Wu noticed the black ninja's brooding behavior and out of instinct, approached him.

"Something is bothering you," Wu observed the team leader, "I have no doubts it's about Kai."

"You seem to have a knack for knowing our thoughts… It's a bit unnerving…" Cole sighed.

The sagely man was undeterred by his pupil's surly attitude and continued giving advice.

"Cole, there are some things that none of us can control, not even me. There is nothing that can erase the past and all we can do now is move on and search for a way to fix everything."

"But if I hadn't been all caught up with thinking _I_ was the werewolf, we would've found out the truth earlier and do something to prevent Kai from leaving…"

"It isn't like you to wallow on your failures. We make mistakes so we can learn from them. Now I don't want you to keep your mind stuck in the past. We have to focus on making things right again." Wu calmly chastised the earth ninja.

"How are we going to make things right? There's no cure for Kai and it's too risky to try and kill Beowulf if he does know how to change him and the others back."

"Perhaps there _is_ a cure but it hasn't been documented. Not every problem we face will have a solution already prepared for us. I don't want you mulling over past mistakes anymore so start trying to find a way to solve your issues. Only then will your mind be truly at peace once more."

There were moments where Cole hated when Sensei Wu was right and this was one of them.

He can't do anything about what happened already. He needed to find a way to make amends or Beowulf's curse will spread to the other ninjas and perhaps the entirety of Ninjago.

Cole reluctantly joined the ninjas in searching through the archives but mostly kept to himself. Every tome was just a rundown of Ninjago's history and nothing involving werewolves. He felt like it will be all for naught but he also reminded himself not to mope over the past.

But his efforts to help were less than stellar since he mostly stood in the corner, still putting all the blame on himself.

"Come on, Cole! Stop lazing around and help us!" Jay loudly complained, earning himself a few shushes from annoyed passersby.

"Jay, please. Cole needs some space." Zane gently rebuked the blue ninja, understanding that Cole was in no mood to speak with anyone.

Cole paid no heed to his chatty teammate's complaints, still scouring through the archives with no serious effort like a zombie. He didn't want to do this but he had no other choice. The ninjas were highly outnumbered and the emotional strain of having to fight Kai will only give Beowulf an advantage. It seemed like they were doomed to fail and Cole can't stop blaming himself, no matter how many times Sensei Wu says otherwise.

'It's no use. There's no way to stop Beowulf and Ninjago will be doomed… It's all my fault…'

The earth wielder wandered through the furthest halls of the archives where the staff kept the oldest documents they had, nonchalantly reading the titles. Cole's patience was rapidly wearing thin and the temptation to run off and find Beowulf started to take over his mind until he found a peculiar tome titled 'Psychology and Strength of the Occult'.

Cole wasn't one to get hopeful over something theoretical and without much proof but now, he was desperate to try anything. He pored through the tome, his brain soaking in the words like a sponge until he found a passage. Once he read it the first time, something grew in his heart. He repeated the words he just read over and over again in his mind and the more he repeated the passage the more his despair shrunk.

The first thing on Cole's mind was to tell his brothers but something else stopped him.

A plan started to form in his mind and he found himself wanting to follow through with it rather than telling the ninjas. He quickly thought of a way to defeat Beowulf and change Kai back but he'll have to do some things he'll regret in the process…

'Not like I haven't done that before…' Cole thought bitterly, looking back at the time he ended up lying to his own father to get the Fang Blade Trophy. Even if he was able to reconcile with his father, he still felt terrible for deceiving him.

But will it really be worth a shot?

The earth ninja didn't want to divide the team more than he already did but if he tells them, he may not have a chance to correct his mistakes.

Cole still thought over the consequences that will come from his decision. He knew just because he was a ninja didn't mean he'll always do the truly right thing. Hell, even the other ninjas have done things they regret or went against Sensei Wu's teachings, especially Kai…

Just remembering the fire ninja before his transformation ended fueling Cole's determination to set off and save him. He quietly snuck out, thankful for all the stealth training Sensei Wu had put him through and finally got out of the stuffy museum under their noses. Still, he felt bad for leaving them yet again but told himself to stop being so wangsty and do something for once.

'I'm so sorry for still being selfish… but it's the one way I can stop Beowulf once and for all…'

He didn't want to keep dragging the ninjas into his own problems that he should fix himself. He made his way for the Bounty and was glad he learned how to control it before since he wasn't exactly an expert with machines like Jay and Zane. The black ninja still despised keeping secrets from his brothers but if they had any idea what he was planning, there would be absolutely no way they'll ever let him carry out his plan.

He had to do this not just for his own sake or Kai's but for everyone else's.

'Hang on, Kai. I _will_ free you.'

* * *

Beowulf patiently watched the sun gradually disappear beyond the horizon. He always liked this time of day and it had nothing to do with the natural beauty of the twilight. The sunset marked the beginning of his reign as alpha wolf.

The transformation hurt the first few times but after having gone through it for many years, the pain was soon replaced by a rush of raw power and Beowulf loved it. He eagerly welcomed his changes and within minutes, he was now a werewolf.

The other changed cultists howled alongside their master, preparing themselves for yet another night of hunting for more numbers.

'Will _he_ join us, Master?' One werewolf asked, Beowulf knowing who he was referring to.

'Bring him out. He will not be a hindrance anymore.' The alpha wolf commanded.

Kai was freed from his chains but he didn't try running away. As long as Beowulf had him under his control, the former ninja will only do as he says.

"Come with me," Beowulf gently cupped Kai's snout in his clawed hands, "You won't be alone for much longer. You can be with the ninjas again soon."

'…Nin…ja…' The beast felt something familiar when his master uttered that word but his primal psyche couldn't think beyond loyalty to the alpha wolf.

Beowulf also noticed the brief flicker of humanity within Kai's golden eyes but the curse on him will overpower his mind. Besides, he wouldn't have any reason to resist him once those pesky humans are also cursed.

All of a sudden, some of the werewolves perked up, their fur standing on end and lips curled in a snarl. There didn't seem to be any threat but their heightened senses alerted them of another presence before it reached them. It was something that was not of their kind…

'I smell a human!' One of the henchmen growled at the direction the stench was coming from.

'Don't do anything… yet… I too can smell _him_ …' Beowulf caught the familiar scent of a human but it wasn't just any human. It was that same stench that filled the forest during his last fight and that can mean one thing.

Beowulf commanded his followers to stay put until the intruder arrives. Mere minutes passed until the surprise visitor arrived.

"I'm surprised we already meet again…" The alpha wolf sneered at the human intruder…

Standing before the werewolves was the earth ninja. Cole's face carried a stoic determination as he silently approached the pack. Beowulf allowed curiosity to seep into his mind. The alpha wolf wondered why one of his enemies would approach him besides the obvious. He expected the whole team to approach him but it was better than none…

'This will be interesting…' Beowulf thought before approaching the sole ninja.

After years of isolation, he did like the occasional surprise…

* * *

 **You're right, Beowulf! Things are gonna take an interesting turn for the finale! That's right! This is a five-chapter story & I plan on delivering an epic finale just in time for Halloween! Now here's my last headcanon: Karloff swore up a storm during his short stay at Chen's Island before his elimination & no one except Neuro understood him because he only did it in Russian.**

 **Okay, instead of wasting your time with stupid questions, I bid you all a good night!**


	6. Willpower

**A Werewolf in Ninjago**

 **It's finally Halloween! I'm just in time to give you all the final chapter of this year's Halloween special! To get in the Halloween spirit, I saved the biggest surprises for the finale! We'll find out about Cole's plan & of course there's the final battle to look forward to! So grab yourselves a big bowl of Halloween candy & enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Willpower

The sun was already setting and the Ultra Dragon still had a long way to go before it can reach the Forgotten Lands where Beowulf and possibly Cole lurked. The remaining ninjas grew all the more anxious as the sunlight started to fade.

"Come on! Go faster!" Jay shook the reins of the four-headed creature like a madman.

"Jay, they're flying as fast as they can! Don't stress them out!" Lloyd scolded the lightning ninja, snatching the reins from him.

"I'm afraid we won't make it in time! The sun has already set!" Zane observed the last hints of the sun's rays fade out and the first stars started to peek out within the dark sky.

"We have to keep going," Wu guided his students, "Even in different circumstances, we mustn't let Beowulf seek out more victims. We must keep moving forward."

"But…"

"We can't give up now. A ninja never quits." He reminded his students of their vow.

The ninjas became more anxious the closer they got to their destination but by now, they have gone too far to turn back…

* * *

Beowulf continued staring down at his unexpected human guest. He liked when things take an interesting turn but he still wondered what the human's motive was…

"Beowulf… It was me who should've become a werewolf," Cole started, "I caused much trouble for my team and I don't want to let them down anymore… I don't belong with them…"

The earth ninja stared at the werewolves circling him and his eyes fell on one in particular.

"Kai…" Cole lost control of himself as he slowly approached the brown werewolf whose left eye was surrounded with small scars. This was the first time he saw Kai as a werewolf and the guilt that's been eating him up ever since his transformation threatened to consume him again. But to the human's dismay, the former ninja didn't seem to recognize him and growled.

"Who said you can get all friendly with my servants?" Beowulf interrupted the moment, getting between the former allies. The earth ninja thought a lot about the decision he'll make before he came here and knew he was at the point of no return.

"Beowulf… I will join you…" Cole said calmly, staring at the alpha wolf right in the eye.

"Is that why you came here? Don't try to make a fool of me." Beowulf may be one for surprises but he didn't trust a student of his old enemy.

"You wouldn't know unless you try…"

The alpha wolf continued staring at the human with scrutinizing eyes while circling him. Having another ninja on his side could create further turmoil for his enemies and that will only make it easier for him to conquer Ninjago…

"This will only hurt for a second." Beowulf bared his fangs and swooped down on Cole.

Cole winced once he felt Beowulf's fangs sink into the crook of his neck. His shivered as his cool skin was warmed by his own trickling blood and he nearly jumped when he felt the werewolf's rough tongue lap up some of it.

"It's not often I meet someone who's willing to cooperate. I really appreciate it." The alpha wolf smirked callously, licking off some of the blood on his fangs.

Cole's heart raced for a few unnerving seconds, knowing what will happen next.

Suddenly, the feeling of having every last fiber of his body being torn asunder plagued Cole. The black ninja suddenly screamed and doubled over in pain yet his mind continued to fight. Trying to delay the changes in his body was pointless so instead, the earth wielder focused on keeping hold of his sanity.

'Don't give in. Don't give in. Don't give in.' Cole's mind repeated the mantra even while his body morphed to match the werewolves and black fur grew and covered all of his flesh. Soon, he was completely changed into a werewolf and his new primal instincts evoked a howl from the earth ninja, which was quickly accompanied by the other werewolves.

The rest of the ninjas finally arrived just in time to see Cole finish his transformation.

"Oh my god…!" Nya gasped once she and the others caught up with the runaway ninja.

"…Cole…!" Zane was beyond shocked to see yet another teammate becoming a monster.

"What was that idiot thinking!?" Jay hissed under his breath.

The black werewolf growled, frightening the ninjas. It was bad enough having to face Kai again but with Cole betraying them, they had all but lost the war already.

'You know what to do.' Beowulf's voice echoed in Cole's head.

The former ninja recognized his teammates and reminded himself why he was doing this. Cole got down on all fours and arched his back as if he was ready to pounce…

But much to Beowulf's shock, Cole threw himself at him rather than the ninjas.

'What do you think you're doing!? You should be under my control!' The alpha wolf snapped as he tried to pry his newest recruit off of him.

'That's what _you_ think!' Cole growled, throwing his head back and sinking his sharp teeth deep into Beowulf's shoulders, returning the favor.

The ninjas and werewolves were equally shocked to see Beowulf getting mauled by Cole. None of them knew which side he was on and thought it better safe than sorry than to approach him and suffer a similar fate.

Once Beowulf was down, Cole approached Kai but the brown werewolf still didn't recognize his brother and tried to attack him. However, Cole's strength also increased. When he was human, he was easily the strongest of the ninjas but with both of them as werewolves, that advantage was back in his grasp. The former ninjas fought and tumbled with one another until Cole soon overwhelmed Kai and pinned him down.

'Kai, stop! Beowulf is the real enemy! You're the fire ninja! You must remember!' Cole still tried to bring his brother back.

'…Ninja…' That familiar word started to ring a bell in Kai's head but he still can't remember…

Beowulf sensed his control over Kai's mind slip and tried to regain it.

'Don't you dare defy me! You're under my control!' Beowulf's voice still tried to hold sway over the brown werewolf's mind.

'…I… I won't… I'll never serve you…!' Vague memories of defying the alpha wolf slowly trickled back in Kai's psyche and he finally started to regain control.

'Yes! Keep fighting!' Cole can sense Kai returning and goaded him.

Kai still struggled to free himself from Beowulf's hold and images flashed in his mind, from the terrified look on his sister's face to resisting Beowulf not even a full day ago. Memories flowed back like a river and the dam Beowulf built was starting to cave in until it was finally destroyed.

'NO!'

Kai stood up, pushing Cole of off him in the process and let out an angry roar that literally shook everyone, human and wolf, off their feet. Neither human nor werewolf were able to tell which side he was on until the brown werewolf turned to Beowulf's direction and snarled.

'You will _not_ control me anymore!' Kai glared at the one who changed him.

Cole and Kai growled at Beowulf, whom they have cornered against some boulders. However, the mastermind still had the advantage in numbers.

'Don't just sit and stare, you idiots! Attack!' Beowulf commanded his loyal goons.

The other werewolves were quick to obey and smothered the former ninjas. Kai and Cole threw them off but they just kept coming. Their feral bloodlust awoke the more they fought but they also kept a hold on whatever humanity they had left in their minds and threw them off yet they kept coming like a swarm of flies.

The remaining ninjas were dumbstruck by everything they saw but the gravity of their situation soon brought them out of their stupor. Kai and Cole were back on their side, albeit still stuck as werewolves, but they were still outnumbered and they may not stand a chance without aid. It was time for them to also make a stand.

"Come on! We have to help!" Jay had enough of standing back and watch and didn't hesitate to join in and use Spinjitzu and his lightning powers to drive off some of the werewolves from his changed teammates.

The rest of the team were also quick to join their brother in aiding the sane werewolves.

"NINJA-GO!"

The ninjas may still be outnumbered but the strength of one's will alone isn't something anyone should ever underestimate. The werewolves hardly thought for themselves and mostly thought of nothing but pleasing their master while the ninjas concentrated on helping not just Cole and Kai but them as well. The werewolves' assault finally started to die down and the ninjas didn't let up until there was only one left.

With the zealots already dealt with, Kai and Cole shifted their attention to Beowulf. The former ninjas caught him trying to sneak off and they weren't having any of it. Beowulf caught on and bolted off but the duo gave chase and weren't far behind. Their human allies were on their trail despite the werewolves being faster than them.

"Ice!"

Zane summoned what powers he had left to cover part of the ground ahead of Beowulf in slick ice. Once the alpha wolf's paws touched the frozen earth, he lost his balance and struggled to stand on either his hind legs or all fours. Kai and Cole caught on to the nindroid's strategy and stopped at the edge of the ice. They lunged at the alpha wolf, knocking him off the ice but kept him in their grip. The werewolves wrestled, biting and clawing at one another until their fur was soaked and matted in blood yet they refused to give in. The primal bloodlust took a backseat to their determination to put an end to Beowulf's nefarious plot.

The human allies also used their elemental powers to hinder the alpha wolf who was now truly alone and vulnerable. As much as he wanted to continue fighting, his body started to give from the many wounds he sustained in the brawl but he won't die so easily as long as he remained in the Forgotten Lands…

'Give up already!' Beowulf growled, 'There's no way you can defeat me.'

'Actually, there is.' Kai glanced at the edge of the forest and remembered Beowulf's seal.

Cole caught on to Kai's idea, remembering why he became a werewolf in the first place, and the former ninjas bit down on Beowulf's arms and dragged him towards the boundary of the forest. The alpha wolf realized what they were planning to do and did what he can to resist them.

'No! Don't do it! You can't do this to me!' The alpha wolf fought against the ninja turned beasts but they were more determined to break the curse more than he was to stay alive.

Cole and Kai ignored Beowulf's protests as they continued dragging him away from the forest. The once cool and composed werewolf started losing it and imploded in a volatile fit, unwilling to accept death. He kept attacking the duo but they weren't having any of it. They kept pulling away from his stronghold and then the humans helped too, helping drag him out of the woods until the werewolves tossed him out and right into the light of the rising sun.

Outside of the confines of his prison, Beowulf's seal activated, ready to claim his body and soul.

' **NNNNNNOOOOOOOO! ! ! ! ! !'**

The seal hidden beneath Beowulf's silver fur glowed and burned his flesh. The unbearable heat bursting from the mark slowly expanded until it smothered his body. The warm sunlight made it worse as his body started to gruesomely dissolve. Beowulf's monstrous body shrunk down into his original human form but his torture wasn't done. Flesh melted away to expose his muscles briefly before they also dissolved, leaving his skeleton behind until the bones finally crumbled to dust swept away by the wind.

The ninjas greeted the morning in silence, exhausted from the battle.

"Beowulf is finally gone…" Wu whispered solemnly, "He wanted to surpass humanity but all he did was lose it… And his understanding of the strength of man's will along with it…"

"But without Beowulf, how will we be able to cure our brothers?" Zane asked, seeing how Kai and Cole were still werewolves.

Behind the humans, the rest of the werewolves started to emerge. The ninjas would've fought with them if it weren't for them sensing that with Beowulf's psychological hold on them gone, they wouldn't be a threat.

Slowly but surely, all the werewolves started to regain their humanity and change back to their original forms. One by one, the humans were fully cured but the transformation took a toll on them and they all fainted upon having their human minds restored. Once everyone was cured, Kai and Cole finally started to change back. Seconds felt like minutes while watching their feral features slowly soften into those of a human until all traces of their cursed forms were gone. All that was left were the two ninjas fully restored, much to their teammates' relief.

"Kai!" Nya didn't care if Kai was exhausted or weak and threw herself at him.

"…N-Nya…?" Kai had vague memories of her before running away but his skull pounded and it hurt just trying to remember anything at all.

"Cole! The curse is broken!" Lloyd exclaimed while he and the elemental ninjas checked on the black ninja.

"…Cole…" Kai turned in the earth wielder's direction and recalled vague memories of his voice urging him to remember.

But in mere moments, the formerly cursed ninjas lost consciousness, alarming their brethren.

"It appears the breaking of the curse has taken a toll on them," Sensei Wu answered before his students can ask any questions, "However, we must put our focus elsewhere."

The team wanted badly to help their brothers but they were also needed elsewhere…

* * *

After Beowulf's death, Kai and Cole wouldn't wake for days. Between watching over them, the ninjas reunited the other cured humans back to their loved ones and exposed Beowulf's story to the world. But the two ninjas remained in a coma, showing no signs of awakening…

Until now.

A full week finally passed when the ninjas of fire and earth finally stirred. The rest of the team stood back as they woke up for the first time since they were werewolves.

"Guys! You're awake!" Lloyd was ecstatic to see his brothers alive and well.

"Cole!" Jay and Zane surrounded the earth ninja and checked on him.

"Kai! I was so worried about you!" Nya embraced Kai but was also careful not to smother him.

"Nya…? W-what happened…?" The red ninja was still confused and every part of his body hurt.

"Kai, do you remember anything?" Sensei Wu asked after giving him a moment to recover.

The fire ninja looked back on what he could remember. He recalled Nya trying to keep him from losing his humanity when he transformed for the first time and arguing with Beowulf but it was all he could remember for now.

"I do remember something about Beowulf but that's all… for now…" The red ninja answered.

"What about you Cole?" Zane checked on the black ninja.

Cole wasn't looking better off than the fire wielder, struggling to remember everything. Slowly but surely, it all came back to him and so did the guilt.

"I… I remember now…" He started, "…I did so many horrible things…"

"It wasn't your fault," Nya placated him, "Beowulf was the one who started this whole mess but he already paid the price."

"But how did you know killing Beowulf while _you're_ also cursed will change everyone back?" Jay finally asked the question everyone wanted to ask since he went missing.

"I actually found a theory in one of the books in the archives…" Cole thought back…

* * *

 _Cole grabbed the tome from its dusty shelf and skimmed through the old pages, seeking out any theories that may have to do with breaking curses._

' _The strength of one's will is never to be underestimated. If one is cursed while their mind is still strong, they may have a chance of retaining their original minds. If one is cursed but also defeat the one from whom the curse originates, the cycle will be broken and that person's curse too will cease to be.'_

 _The earth ninja couldn't believe what he was reading._

 _This could be the key to undo Beowulf's curse and free everyone but that meant he'll also have to become a werewolf. He saw the destruction Kai had done and he didn't want to do that to his brothers or anyone he cared about._

 _But what other choice did he have?_

 _If the ninjas have to defeat Beowulf and undo his curse, one of them will have to be cursed too. Kai had already lost his mind so it was no use but there was another option…_

 _Cole had done things he had come to regret but this may be going too far…_

 _But he had to try and this was his only chance._

' _Still… I have to do this… If the others find out, I'll never have the chance…'_

 _The black ninja hated himself for doing this but he'll have to do this for everyone in Ninjago. He always had to do what's best, even if it's not something he'll wholeheartedly agree with…_

* * *

"So that explains why you ran off… Though I can't say I wasn't disappointed…" Sensei Wu said.

"But it was still wrong of me to frighten you like that… I'm so sorry…" Cole still apologized.

"We all have done things we're not proud of. You did what you must for the greater good but I also hope you won't do anything of this scale ever again." Wu warned the team leader.

"Cole… it wasn't your fault… I'm the one to blame…" Kai sighed, "…After our first fight, I didn't feel well either… I didn't know I was a werewolf either but I didn't want any of you to worry… I didn't want to be another burden to any of you… But I ended up hurting you, anyway…"

"Kai, none of us knew any better… We had no idea what we were getting into but it's over… We paid our debts to Beowulf…" Cole replied.

"We're just relieved that you're both okay. The most important thing is that Beowulf is gone for good. We will never have to worry about him anymore." Wu said.

"Hopefully, I won't have to..." The earth ninja shrugged.

"You won't. I'll make sure of it." His spiky-haired brother reassured him as he had always done.

"But I have to say, the last couple of days were _crazy_." Jay added.

"I also admit that these recent events have been tumultuous. But now that we have overcome those obstacles, we'll be prepared for whatever comes next." Zane agreed.

"Yup. After going through all that crazy shit, I believe we're ready for anything." Lloyd said with newfound confidence.

"Yes, as long as we stick together as a team." Nya held out her hand.

One at a time, the ninjas placed their hands over one another to reaffirm their bonds.

"Never forget your experiences and what you've learned from them," Wu said, "As long as you keep them in your memories, you will be able to fulfill your purpose as ninjas."

After everything that happened to them, the ninjas knew there's nothing they can't overcome.

Soon, they will prove it to save Ninjago…

* * *

 **And then the Stone Warriors & the Overlord come to ruin it. :p**

 **Speaking of which, I actually liked Day of the Departed. Sure, there were some aspects I think could've been done better but other than that, it was surprisingly good & it felt a little more like the show before Rebooted & not just because of the returning villains.**

 **Now, I want to say thank you so much for all your awesome reviews & support. Seriously, YOU are the real stars of my stories. I hope you liked this story as much as I did writing it.**

 **Thank you & I hope you have a Happy Halloween!**


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